No one ever feels the need to apologize to anyone.
Members of functional teams will inevitably step over the line from time to time, creating the need for quick and genuine apologies. Teams that never experience this are not getting the most out of their discussions.
Meetings are boring.
Functional teams talk about the most important topics during meetings, and they do so with a proper sense of the stakes of making good decisions. That means there is healthy tension when someone passionately makes a case that others don’t initially agree with. This kind of tension is never boring.
People say things in the hallways and parking lot that they don’t say during meetings.
Members of functional teams don’t hold back their opinions during meetings. They aren’t concerned with the political ramifications of sharing their true opinions, or calculating the cost of disagreement. As a result, there is nothing left to say afterward.
Team members are really nice to one another but don’t offer constructive feedback.
Functional teams are concerned with finding the right answer over “keeping the peace.” Some of the most dysfunctional teams are the “nicest” ones. People smile and nod and say positive things, but will not challenge one another. They deprive one another of opportunities for improvement in order to avoid uncomfortable moments.
